Winter's Warrior: Mark of the Monarch (Winter's Saga 4) (28 page)

“I must be out of my mind to let you leave with all those weapons on a chase to rescue half our family by yourself.”

“He’s not a regular teenager, Dr. Andrews.  And he’s not going alone.”  Farrow tossed her bag over her shoulder.

Theo nodded slowly at first, then more decidedly.

“You’re going to need money, and the keys to the Honda.”

Dr. Andrews opened a hidden drawer from the inside of the gun safe where there were several stacks of cash.  Theo grabbed three of the bundles and handed them to Alik.   “That’s three-thousand dollars.  Use what you need and if you need more, call me.  Just please bring my Cole home.  Everyone.  Everyone needs to come back or it will kill Margo.  You know that, don’t you, son?” Theo looked teary eyed at Alik.

“Yes, sir.  I know.  But I have to tell you.  My tactics aren’t as full of finesse as Meg’s.  I’m pissed off and I want my family back.  Doesn’t mean I’m going without a well-thought-out plan, but I am going…and I will plan on the way.”

“I think we’re all sick of this, Alik.  Do what you have to do, your way.  You have your mother’s and my support no matter what.”

Alik nodded.

Farrow and Alik started back toward the kitchen.  Thinking ahead, Farrow grabbed some protein bars and sports drinks to throw into a canvas bag.

Theo reached back into the pantry and grabbed another set of keys.  “Farrow, you’re driving.”  He tossed the keys in a gentle arch.  “Not only is Alik not old enough to drive, but he’s going to be using his gift to see back in time.  My guess is it would be pretty dangerous if he’s trying to drive in the present, but looking in the past.”

Alik nodded in agreement.  “No argument here, Theo.  She can drive.  I’ll be the navigator.”

“And don’t think the irony is lost on me that I won’t let him drive, but I will give him military-grade weapons.”  Theo shook his head, and chewed the inside of his cheek worriedly.  “Is there anything else you need?  Have you got your cell phones?  Change of clothes?” 

“Give me one minute.  I was working on folding some laundry earlier today.” Farrow called over her shoulder as she ran out the room.

Theo took the opportunity to talk man-to-man.  “Are you sure you want to do this?  I could try calling Greg and see if there’s anything the law can do for us.”

Alik was shaking his head no even before Theo finished his sentence.  “I am
sure
I want to do this.  There
is
no one else who can.  Farrow and I are the last good-guy metahumans.  It
has
to be us.”

Theo nodded.  “Thank you, Alik.  Thank you for being willing to step up and fight for the family.  You’re so young.  You shouldn’t have all these burdens put on you.”  His soft blue eyes glistened.

“You just take care of Mom and Danny.  Farrow and I will take care of the rest.  Okay?”

Theo nodded, sure that if he spoke just then, he’d burst into unmanly tears.

“I will protect them with my life,” the middle-aged doctor managed after a moment.

Farrow returned with her arms full of folded clothing.  “I figured we needed to stick to black anyway, she shrugged at the dark pile in her hands.”

“Here,” Alik offered another cloth sack for her to put the items. “Ready?” he asked Farrow.

“Let’s go,” she said decisively.  Farrow marched as if she was finally in her element out the back door and to
ward the driver’s side of the navy SUV.  She opened the door to the back seat and tossed in her bags.  Alik followed suit on the other side of the SUV.

They climbed into the
SUV, buckled their seat belts and backed out of the driveway.  Theo couldn’t help but let those unmanly tears flow as he watched the only hope for his son’s safe return back down the driveway and pull away from the house.

Evan woke to the sound of footsteps echoing.

His whole body hurt, but that’s not what stilled his heart. 

Everything about his situation made a layer of cold sweat cover his skin.

It was the dim light of a monitor to his left that read, “WATCH ME” on a simple scrap of paper taped to the top corner.  It was the dank scent of old and new mildew that tickled his nose.  It was the blackened brick walls with what looked like scratch marks some six feet above the floor and there was something else. 

Evan slowly sat up and looked around him. 

Oh, shit
,
he thought in a panic.
This isn’t right.
 

He stood gingerly, leaning over with his hands on his knees for a moment to steady the tilting nightmare that was his vision.  On shaky legs he hobbled to the nearest brick wall and steadied himself as he walked the perimeter of the room looking for the most obvious missing feature.

How did I get here?  Where am I?
  Evan’s mind was trying desperately to wrap itself around what was happening, but however hard he tried, none of this was making sense.  He looked down at himself.  His clothes were covered in black automotive grease. 

I remember going to the auto shop with Creed and helping the guy rig the best kind of lift for
Mom’s chair.  To do that I had to crawl under the van and get my hands dirty.
  Evan looked down at his hands.  There was grease under his nails.

Okay, what happened next?

He worked to try to piece together the chain of events. 
I went home with Creed and Meg gave me a hard time about being dirty, so I went to my room to take a shower.
  Evan frowned at his still greasy arms. 

Evidently, I never got that shower.
  Tentatively, he patted himself down, trying to figure out how injured he may be.  He had some cuts and scrapes on his elbows and his jeans were torn at the knees.  One finger was swollen and tight, possibly sprained or even fractured he thought, trying desperately to keep his mind intact. 

Otherwise, he was fine.  He ripped off part of his own T-shirt and used it to wrap his swollen ring finger to his pinkie, giving it stability and support so he didn’t accidentally damage it further. 

After he secured a snug knot, he looked around.  His eyes caught the dimming glow of the laptop.

He walked to it and carefully sat on the hard dirt floor. 

“WATCH ME,” the note screamed.

Using the
trackpad, Evan woke the laptop from its sleep mode and saw the screen was already set.  All he had to do was press play. 

Something about this moment made him want to vomit.  With the soundtrack of a rhythmic dripping of fluid echoing from somewhere, Evan’s shaking finger tapped the trackpad, pressing play.

Chapter 45   The Tracker

Alik and Farrow headed around to the front of the house where Alik had “seen” the two white vans loaded with their family members.

“Okay, now what?” She asked tentatively.

“Give me a minute,” Alik whispered, staring at the front door. 

Farrow tried not to
blatantly stare at him, but she did sneak glances.  His eyes were nearly glowing their beautiful violet blue.

“Okay, let’s follow you bastards,” Alik mumbled to himself.

He reached his hand out and pointed in the direction he could see the vans drive. 

“Can you see anything about the vans?”  Farrow asked softly, not wanting to disturb his concentration.

“They’re simple white vans.  If you give me a piece of paper and a pen, I’ll write the tag numbers.   I’d get them myself, but I don’t want to take my eyes off the vans in case they make a turn or something.”

“No problem,” Farrow muttered as she held the steering wheel wit
h one hand keeping the SUV steady while she searched through her bag with the other.  She found a pen.  One down.  As for paper, she handed him a stray napkin that was lost in the clutter in the center console. 

Without looking at his hands, he scrawled the two license plates numbers.

“They’re turning left,” he said, pointing.

“Left, got it.” Farrow breathed and signaled.

“It looks like they’re headed to the private airfield that’s over here.”  Farrow glanced at Alik and saw he was chewing on his bottom lip, squinting with his brilliant blue eyes as though trying to see even further away.

“Yes, that’s where they’re going.  Pull up to the main hanger.  Let me see if I can tell where they were heading.” 

Farrow had barely stopped the in the gravel parking lot when Alik flew out of the SUV and jogged as though trying to keep up with someone. 

Farrow was right on his heels. 

“Can I help y’all?” a voice called out to them from under the hood of a Cessna.

Farrow glanced at Alik and saw he was lost in his vision, so she needed to speak fast.

“Yes, sir,” she began by wiping the seriousness off her face and painting on a beautiful, pouty-lipped, oh-woe-is-me expression. 

“Yes, can you tell me if two white vans came here earlier today to catch a flight?”

“Sure, enough.”  The young guy ducked out from under the plane’s hood and stood his full height.  Grease streaked his face and his hands were dark with grime.  The blond hair of his crew cut peeked out of the hole in his ball cap worn backward.  He smiled appreciatively at Farrow’s curves. 

Farrow risked a self-conscious glance back at Alik and was thankful he’d missed the leisurely visual perusal the mechanic helped himself to. 

“Can you tell me where they were headed?”

“Kentucky, Louisville,” Alik walked up beside Farrow and slipped his hand into hers, weaving his fingers possessively through hers.

“That’s right.  They loaded up a bunch of stuff,” he scoffed at the way Alik pulled Farrow behind him just enough to emphasize his possessiveness.  “Then they took off with their own Falcon20 jet.” 

“Do you know if they have enough fuel to fly there or will they need to stop over?”

“I filled the bird myself, buddy.  She’s got enough to go all the way to Jersey and then some.”  The mechanic smiled proudly, rocking back and forth in his stained work boots. 

“Thanks,” Alik waved one hand and pulled Farrow with the other.

Once they were out of human earshot, Farrow had to get something off her chest.  “Why so possessive?” 

“What do you mean?”  Alik had walked her to her door and opened it for her.

“I mean, the this-is-my-woman-so-stop-leering action over there.”  Farrow ignored the seat behind her and remained standing.

Alik shrugged, glancing around them as though on patrol.  “I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I can take care of myself, Alik Winter.”

Alik stopped scanning the space around them and locked eyes with the girl who made his heart stop.

“I know you can take care of yourself, Farrow.  I think it’s sexy as hell how efficiently you can take care of yourself!  But I just lost half my family and I’m not losing anyone else.  Too much depends on us.”  Alik’s voice was low, and deadly serious.  “So if I come across a little Neanderthal-esque you’re going to have to understand it’s my way of showing that I care.”

Farrow nodded once and sat in the driver’s seat without saying a word, but it was the smile she was trying to hide that caught Alik’s attention.  He closed her door and walked around the back of the vehicle shaking his head. 
Women!  How can they think of romance at the most inopportune times?

Once back in the SUV
he was all business searching his smart phone for commercial flights leaving either DFW or Dallas Love Field.  “Shoot.  There’s nothing that’s leaving immediately and the closest I can get us there would still require a drive once we get there.  Besides, we wouldn’t be able to bring any weapons aboard,” Alik sighed heavily. 

“Do you think you could train your—what are you calling your gift?”

“I don’t know.  Retro-cognition sounds better than clairvoyant.  But either way, I feel like a useless freak.”

“Stop doing that!  At least you
have
an extra gift!”  Farrow scolded.  “What I was going to say is, do you think you could focus your retro-cognition to keep track of any speed traps?”

“Maybe, I don’t know.  This is all new to me.”

“Well, let’s try it.  I’ll drive the limit and you keep your sensors peeled.  If we see you’re right time and again, we’ll know we can trust it, and then I’ll just floor it to Kentucky.”

“You do realize there’s no room for error.  If I mess this up, we’ll be pulled over with a butt-load of weapons in the
back.  We won’t do anyone any good stuck in jail.”

“That’s why we’re going to test it first,” Farrow said logically.

“Okay, let’s go—we’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”  Alik was reading from the map on his phone and committing it to memory without even trying.  He held the phone out to Farrow who was stopped at a red light.  “We’ve got to take I30 East to Arkansas.” 

“Got it,” she said, following the signs.  Within minutes, they were headed in the right direction.  Farrow had the cruise control set up exactly at the speed limit.  “Okay, Alik.  Anytime you’re ready.”